The invention relates to a portable and in particular a wireless transmitting/receiving device, that is a device by which at least signals can be transmitted and preferably be received as well, such as in particular a remote control device for lifting and industrial devices, according to the generic term of claim 1. Said device has a housing which provides for a receiving portion for accommodating an electronic controller and which serves to mount at least one operating element such as a joystick, switch, regulator or touchscreen with virtual operating elements or a display. The housing extends in the vertical direction from a lower-face base contour to an upper-face terminating contour, in relation to the alignment of the transmitting/receiving device when used as intended. Additionally, the housing is perpendicularly delimited by a lateral contour. At least a substantial part, i.e. in particular a primary part, of the housing is formed by a molded housing part made of elastomer which forms at least the upper-face terminating contour and the lateral contour in relation to an overall profile, the lateral contour in particular continuously extending from the base contour to the upper-face terminating contour and the upper-face terminating contour between two sides of the housing pointing away from each other. As a result of both the upper-face terminating contour and the lateral contour being made of elastomer, the housing is protected against mechanical stress which could act on the transmitting/receiving device from the upper surface or in one of the horizontal directions and which is likely to occur in particular on construction sites or in industrial facilities.
Such operating devices have been in use for years and are employed for the remote control of cranes on construction sites, for example. The housing commonly is a box-shaped construct with handles attached to it and which are held either directly by the operator's hands or by a harness. The harness permits the operator to hold the operating device in front of his body so that he will have both hands free to operate two joysticks, for example. Furthermore, such transmitting/receiving devices frequently have rubber linings in certain areas which are intended to ensure a better grip in particular in the designated grip areas and to provide for a better protection of the device against mechanical stress.
DE 829 005 describes a control handle for lifting gear which is hanging on a cable. The control handle has a dumbbell-shaped housing the surface of which is made completely of rubber in order to avoid any damages of the device or injury to the operator.
WO 2009/155929 A1 describes a control handle for lifting devices in hospitals the housing of which may be made of a thermoplastic elastomer. The control handle has several operating keys on one upper surface of the housing and three engaging elements on one lower surface pointing away from it to allow for safe holding of the control handle.
The disadvantage of the known transmitting/receiving devices is that in general the rubber linings result in additional manufacturing costs as the relevant components additionally need to be provided with such linings during their manufacture or that the requested rubber linings need to be fitted subsequently to the ready-made transmitting/receiving device. The higher the intended degree of the grip and/or the protection of the respective transmitting/receiving device, the more additional costs will have to be incurred regarding the manufacture of the rubber linings. For example, transmitting/receiving devices such as, for example, telephones are known which are intended in particular for outdoor use and therefore have a plastic housing which is made of a rigid plastic on the inside and an elastomer layer on the outside. The manufacture of such two-component plastics in turn results in relatively high overall manufacturing costs of the transmitting/receiving device.